Information for Employers
Resources for Employers
Are you looking to host a dental assisting student as an intern? You'll find information here to get started.
Job Listings
Foothill College does not have a job board on campus for students in our program. However, our Health Science and Horiculture Division hosts an electronic Job Board, which our Dental Assisting graduates can view and you may use as an employer.
Note: Our Dental Assisting Program does not operate as a placement agency for interns. To reach out to dental assistants, we recommend using this list of Employment Search resources, which includes local dental societies and placement agencies. |
Externship Program
If you are interested in hosting a dental assisting intern, we have the externship program for the 9-Month full time students. It's on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April to June each year.
Guidelines for Requesting a Foothill College Dental Assisting Student as an Intern
- Interns should not be requested to fill temporary staff shortages. For example, if an assistant has left and the office is in the process of hiring a replacement, it is not appropriate to use an intern as a stopgap.
- Offices experiencing busy periods or requiring support solely for disinfection, instrument processing, or sterilization tasks should not request interns.
- The office environment must be nurturing and patient, with both the dentist and staff actively involved in teaching, explaining, and demonstrating clinical procedures.
- If only the dentist supports having an intern, it is likely the staff will not treat the intern with the respect necessary for a productive learning experience.
- Interns may spend the first one to two days observing. By the third day, they should actively participate in chairside assisting.
- Although sterilization and administrative tasks may be part of the role, at least 80% of the intern’s time should involve chairside assisting.
Interns should have the opportunity to develop skills in:
- Mixing cements and impression materials
- Passing instruments
- Charting
- General restorative and specialty procedures
- Taking X-rays
- Performing as many RDA duties as possible
- When the intern begins chairside assisting, an RDA in the office should oversee and assist them during procedures.
- As the intern’s competence grows, they may assist independently.
- Priority for intern placements is given to dentists and staff who serve on the Foothill College Dental Programs Advisory Board and those who regularly accept interns from the program.
By adhering to these guidelines, you can help provide a meaningful and enriching experience for the student intern while supporting their professional development.
